Sunday, December 26, 2010

MANILA, Philippines — Pandemonium broke loose inside a chapel in a tightly guarded police camp in Sulu’s capital town of Jolo when a loud explosion ripped through the religious establishment during a morning Christmas mass on Saturday, police officials said.

Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin said the officiating priest, later identified as Father Bacolcol, and at least 10 devotees were wounded in the bomb attack.

ZAMBOANGA CITY – High school campus journalists from Zamboanga del Norte (ZaNorte) and Zamboanga Sibugay dominated the top places in the 2010 Western Mindanao Regional Schools Press Conference individual writing competition held recently in Pagadian City, Zamboanga.

Dr. Walter O. Albos, Region 9 office of the Department of Education (DepEd 9) director, said the week-long writefest, participated in by some 1,500 school scribes from the region’s eight schools divisions, focused on the theme “Campus Journalism: A Driving Force in Ensuring Quality Basic Education.”.... MORE

MANILA, Philippines (PNA) - The 'Kampanya Kontra Paputok' of the Department of Health (DOH) has laid out a number of acitvities for a low-rate firecracker-related injuries during the Holiday Season.

Part of the action plan is the Public Information Campaign that aims to promote information and awareness on the dangers of firecrackers and prevention of firecrackers.

The said campaign, directed by Center for Health Development Directors and Chiefs of DOH Hospitals, calls for close cooperation among local radios, TV networks and local government units .

The DOH has ordered all Centers for Health Development to take the lead in implementing the public information campaign in their respective regions or catchments area for 'Kampanya Kontra Paputok' activities, which include information dissemination on the dangers of using prohibited firecrackers and watusi..... MORE

PANAMA CITY (AP) -- Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli on Saturday denied information from a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable suggesting he asked the United States to help install phone taps on his political opponents, but he acknowledged a request for help against criminals and organized crime figures.

A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable from Aug. 22, 2009 quotes then-U.S. ambassador Barbara Stephenson as saying the newly elected conservative president asked for help with wiretaps soon after he took office on July 1.

"He clearly made no distinction between legitimate security targets and political enemies," the cable states, adding Stephenson said "we will not be party to any effort to expand wiretaps to domestic political targets."

In a statement, Martinelli's office said "help in tapping the telephones of politicians was never requested," adding that "any such interpretation of that request is completely mistaken."

The government called it "a mistaken interpretation by U.S. authorities of the request made for assistance in combatting drug trafficking, crime and organized crime.".... MORESource: Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – Christmas challenges people to act in order to transform the society they live in, according to the president of the influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar said the Christmas season “compels us to accept our individual role in this crucial and intricate work of transforming the face of the Earth.”

He said people should begin transforming the world by receiving Jesus in their hearts.

“If we allow our hearts to be mangers on which He lays, He can make rich and beautiful hearts out of our own – hearts who can love as He loves; who can forgive as He forgives; and generous hearts who take joy in none other than self-giving,” said Odchimar in his Christmas message.

The prelate noted that situations of “unpeace,” such as threats of war, political unrest, and armed conflicts, can sometimes blur the people’s faith and hope in God..... MORE

And then her cooking gas tank ran out on her. As it turned out, December was a particularly bad time to buy liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

“I heard in the news that the LPG price was going up on the first day of December,” said Esguerra, in Filipino. “Our tank went empty last December 5. When I called the dealer the next day, I was surprised to find out that the price went up again.”.... MORE